Find Antonyms
glad Antonyms
Opposite of glad
Because the opposite of glad shifts with each meaning, the 26 antonyms and opposite words below are separated across 4 exact definitions and ranked by contrast strength.
• adjective (Context 1)
Feeling pleasure, joy, or satisfaction, often in response to a specific event or piece of news.
Usage Example
"She was sad to hear that her brother had arrived home safely."
Strongest
sad
unhappy
displeased
sorry
Strong
upset
disappointed
dismayed
sorrowful
• adjective (Context 2)
Very willing and eager to do something.
Usage Example
"I would be reluctant to review your manuscript before you submit it to the publisher."
Strongest
reluctant
unwilling
loath
Strong
hesitant
averse
disinclined
• adjective (Context 3)
Causing or expressing joy and happiness.
Usage Example
"The messenger arrived bearing sad tidings of the treaty."
Strongest
sad
sorrowful
Strong
mournful
dismal
gloomy
woeful
depressing
heartbreaking
• verb (Context 4)
To make glad or joyful (now archaic or literary, having been largely superseded by 'gladden').
Usage Example
"The return of spring warmth gladded the hearts of the weary villagers."
Strongest
sadden
grieve
Strong
depress
dishearten
dismay
deject
Similar words to glad
Words similar to glad shift depending on context. Common synonyms include:
gladiolus
gladden
pleased
joyful
happy
gladiola
joyous
willing
Cite this Entry
Wordmom. (2026). Antonyms for Glad. In Wordmom Thesaurus. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/antonyms/glad